Ballena FSRU
| Part of the Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker, a Global Energy Monitor project. |
Ballena FSRU, also known as Chuchupa FSRU, Ballena GNL, and Regasificadora Ballena, is a proposed LNG import terminal in Colombia.
Location
Table 1: Location details
| Name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Ballena FSRU | La Guajira, Colombia[1] | 11.824234, -72.823139 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the terminal:
Project Details
Table 2: Infrastructure details
| Name | Facility type | Status | Capacity | Total terminal capacity | Offshore | Associated infrastructure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballena FSRU | import[2] | proposed[2] | 1.99 mtpa[3][2] | 1.99 mtpa | True | Ballena-Barranca gas pipeline, La Mami-Ballena gas pipeline[3][2] |
Table 3: Cost
| Name | Facility type | Cost | Total known terminal costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballena FSRU | import[2] | – | – |
Financing
No financing data available.
Table 4: Project timeline
| Name | Facility type | Status | Proposal year | FID year | Construction year | Operating year | Inactive year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballena FSRU | import[2] | proposed[2] | 2025[2] | – | – | –[4][3][2][5][4][3][2][5] | – |
Ownership
Table 5: Ownership
| Name | Facility type | Status | Owners | Parent companies | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballena FSRU | import[2] | proposed[2] | Ecopetrol SA[2] | Ecopetrol SA | Ecopetrol[6] |
Background
Ballena LNG is a planned floating storage and regasification terminal (FSRU) located in La Guajira, Caribbean coast of Colombia, developed by TGI, in cooperation with Hocol and Ecopetrol, to diversify the country’s gas import infrastructure beyond the existing facility in Cartagena (SPEC LNG).[7][8][9][10][11][12]
TGI and associated developers intend to leverage existing infrastructure in the offshore Chuchupa area and Ballena gas system to host the FSRU and connect to the Chuchupa, Ballena, and Ballena-Barranca gas infrastructure, whose current transportation capacity has been reported at about 200 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). The site selection for the FSRU mooring is expected to be finalized between July and August 2025, with operations targeted to begin in January 2027.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
Once operational, Ballena LNG would import around 250 MMcf/d-300 MMcf/d of liquefied natural gas and regasify it for injection into Colombia’s national pipeline network. The terminal's effective import capacity may be constrained by the capacity of the pipeline system, but the project is expected to help mitigate rising gas prices and supply shortages particularly affecting the Caribbean, Bogotá-region, and southwestern markets.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
In May 2026, Colombian media reported that the Petro administration gave a technical green light to the Ballena FSRU / La Guajira regasification project, allowing it to advance while environmental and maritime permits remained under review.[13] A Final Investment Decision on the project is expected by June 15, 2026.[14]
Articles and Resources
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of LNG terminals, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
References
- ↑ https://maps.app.goo.gl/YLUhbHzKQkv3yE588.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 https://www.larepublica.co/economia/ecopetrol-avanza-con-las-regasificadoras-ballena-y-covenas-en-el-caribe-colombiano-4166957.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 https://www.bnamericas.com/es/reportajes/un-vistazo-a-7-proyectos-colombianos-de-importacion-de-gnl.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.bnamericas.com/es/noticias/ecopetrol-evalua-proyectos-de-gnl-en-el-caribe.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.paisminero.com/energia/124-notas-de-gas/28975-ecopetrol-anuncio-que-en-julio-iniciara-la-comercializacion-de-60-gbtud-de-gas-importado.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.larepublica.co/economia/ecopetrol-anuncia-avances-para-proyectos-de-regasificacion-en-el-caribe-colombiano-4166433.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 S.A.S., Editorial La República (2025-06-26). "Ecopetrol anuncia avances para proyectos de regasificación en el Caribe colombiano". Diario La República (in español). Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 S.A.S., Editorial La República (2025-06-27). "Ecopetrol avanza con las regasificadoras Ballena y Coveñas en el Caribe colombiano". Diario La República (in español). Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "BNamericas - Un vistazo a 7 proyectos colombianos de impo..." BNamericas.com (in español). Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Ecopetrol avanza con dos regasificadoras en el Caribe colombiano" (PDF). chrdivulgar.org. 27 June 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Ecopetrol (2025). "Resultados Financieros 1er trimestre 2025" (PDF). ecopetrol.com.co.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 TGI. "TGI pone a disposición y servicio del país una solución a corto plazo para el abastecimiento de gas natural con infraestructura de Regasificación en La Guajira, con entrada en operación en enero 2027". TGI. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Minenergia (2026-05-07). "Gobierno da luz verde a megaproyecto de gas en La Guajira para blindar el abastecimiento energético del país". Minenergia. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Jaramillo, Andrea (2026-05-08). "Colombia Gives Priority to TGI's LNG Project as Gas Dwindles". Financial Post. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
